


Fight or Flight

by KORsimp



Series: Basically you bang your way through the KOR and Kylo (as different Y/ns) [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, F/M, Knights of Ren fluff, Sassy Reader, Slow Burn, Smut, but once there's smut it never ends, hand touching; giving pride and prejudice a run for its money, not enemies to lovers; but people who don't like each other to lovers, tagging smut as i go, there will be a fic for each knight, you get to bang your way through the knights of ren, you get with kuruk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:13:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26913436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KORsimp/pseuds/KORsimp
Summary: You're set to become the first woman to graduate from the Flight Academy in the First Order. Life for you was hard enough, but it gets much more interesting once you become the new pilot for the Knights of Ren.
Relationships: Knights of Ren/Reader, Kuruk/Reader
Series: Basically you bang your way through the KOR and Kylo (as different Y/ns) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1963684
Comments: 14
Kudos: 38





	1. I’m not a fucking copilot

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! If you read Not So Sterile or the sequel, you KNOW I am obsessed with the Knights of Ren, so I'm starting a series where we, as different First Order characters, ya know, bang the Knights of Ren. You're a different person each time, and they're all written as reader inserts. The Knights will each have their own personalities and... sexual proclivities based on their canon descriptions... But I'm very open to suggestions!
> 
> Some people who have written the Knights into their fics use their own casting for it (which is totally cool!) but I think all the actors cast for them are super hot, so I'll be using the actual actors' descriptions throughout the fics, but feel free to imagine whoever.
> 
> Kuruk was played by Joe Kennard in Rise of Skywalker, I posted his pics below (this is his look that I imagine while writing). I've never posted a pic on here so lmk if it works.
> 
> Anywayyyys, I'm not expecting anyone to read these, but I started writing them for myself so I thought I'd share. If you're still reading, enjoy!

When you woke up, you stretched, made yourself some coffee, took a relaxing shower, and knew that it was going to be a good day.

Unfortunately, you were wrong.

You were exactly one month from graduating from the First Order Flight Academy, and not just as a standard pilot. You’d completed training to become a specialized fighter pilot, and you were the First woman in First Order history to do so. All that was left was the one-month field training and a written exam, and you’d be finished. You were almost, in title, one of the highest ranks within the Order. It was rigorous, but proving every man wrong who’d doubted you would worth the blood, sweat and tears—and yes, that was literal.

It had been the hardest but most exciting four years of your life, and you didn’t regret it one bit. You wanted to show women all over the galaxy that they had a place in the First Order. In any organization. Anywhere that men were making decisions and making a difference, women belonged there too.

You smoothed over your already perfectly pressed uniform and smiled. “You got this, Captain.”

Early, as always, you made you way to your direct supervisor’s office. Each person in their last month had a meeting with him to discuss assignments for the remainder of their training.

You were going to get a good assignment; you could feel it. Colonel Willow had always been partial to you, and even though he acted annoyed with you, you knew it was fake. He’d mentored you through most of school, and tried to make sure the boys weren’t bullying you too harshly. Eventually, you became able to stick up for yourself.

_Two weeks into training school, you’d stormed into his office. He looked up at you from his desk._

_“Airman, what can I help you with?” he asked, four years ago._

_“That’s the thing,” you said, taking a seat across from him. “’Airman’. I’m a woman.”_

_He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose to give you a peculiar look. “Yes, I am aware of that.”_

_Nervously, you clasped your hands in your lap. “So, people should use the term ‘Airwoman’ to refer to me.”_

_He chuckled, leaning back in his seat. “Hun, I know you’re on a feminist crusade-” you ignored his stupid comment “-and I’m very proud of you and fully support you.”_

_“But?” you asked after he paused._

_Sighing, he gave you a sympathetic look. “But ‘Airman’ is just the term we use for people starting Flight Academy. It’s gender neutral.”_

_“Colonel. If it were gender neutral, it wouldn’t have the word ‘man’ in it.”_

_He looked you over in silence for a good minute, your body tensing more by the second. He breathed out your name, almost as if he was pained. “Go worry about classes, not shaking the ranks of the First Order, please,” he said. You walked out of his office, head hung._

_“Get to the rank of ‘Captain’, and then it won’t matter,” he said as you left his office._

_You’d gotten to the rank, first woman to do so, but in class the next day, he announced that the school would changing how they referred to Airmen and Airwomen. You’d smiled. Everyone else in class-all men, of course-glared at you, but you didn’t care._

Speaking of assholes that had tried to make your life hell, one of them walked out of the Colonel’s office.

“Captain,” you addressed him sourly. Cosmo Hastings. Cosmic asshole who’d tried many times to get you kicked out of flight school. He was hotheaded enough to make a plane fly without an engine. And you hated each other.

His stupid smirk made you want to punch him. Unfortunately, you had before. It was usually more trouble than it was worth, but damn did it feel good.

“Here for your assignment?” he asked smugly.

“Obviously,” you rolled your eyes. “Glad to see nothing gets by you, Hastings.”

He grinned, in too good of a mood to acknowledge your comment. “I got Flight Brigade.”

Your fists clenched at your side, and you put on a tense smile. Fucker. That was the best assignment. A group of a few people flew across the galaxy taking out enemy ships in covert missions.

“Congratulations,” you choked out.

He patted you on the shoulder condescendingly, and you tried not to slap his hand away. “Thanks, Captain. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back. And I look forward to hearing about your exciting adventures too,” he said, sarcasm dripping. He walked away, leaving you fuming. His tone made it obvious he was expecting you to get a crap assignment.

You turned, yelling at the back of his stupid head. “Get off your high horse! My marks are just as high as yours, Hastings!” He just gave you a quick wink before walking out of your line of sight. It was true. You, him, and two other men were always neck and neck for highest scores on both written and practical tests. Racing had proved inconclusive, a different one of you winning each time. Apparently last assignments are what determines who is best in class, and you were determined to get it. First woman in Flight school and best in class? Cosmo would have a stroke.

The thought of Cosmo having a stroke put a smile on your face while you knocked on the Colonel’s door. “Come in,” he called.

“Morning, Colonel,” you said as he nodded for you to take the seat across from him. “How are you?”

He gave a half amused, half exhausted huff. “Let’s not pretend you care about anything other than your assignment.” You opened your mouth to argue, but he was right. You shrugged. He handed you an envelope that you excitedly opened. You had to flip it a few times to get the right side, and your heart was racing with excitement. It said…

You frowned up at him. “The Knights of Ren transport?”

He nodded.

You flipped the paper over, looking for something that said ‘ha gotchu!’ and to say it was a joke. You were supposed to be in the Flight Brigade. You’d worked tirelessly for it the last four years.

“What does this even mean?”

“Exactly what it says, Captain. You’ll be transporting the Knights of Ren?”

You fought the urge to scream. “I’m on minivan duty for the Knights?” you asked, borderline yelling.

He let out a chuckle. “It’s a very important job. They do a lot for the First Order. Plus, the ship is interesting, and I really think you’ll like it.”

You huffed. “Not likely.”

He ignored your petty comment. “It’s a great assignment that you’ll get a lot of good field experience doing it. There are ten Brigade pilots but only one pilot with your job. It was requested by General Hux himself.”

Mulling it over, you smiled. “General Hux requested me specifically?”

He nodded. “Yes. He was pleased to know we had a woman with the qualifications.”

He had to be joking. Not only had you had it worse than anyone else during Academy, barely even allowed to start the path to Captain, but now you were getting the crappiest assignment because of your gender too? There had to be rules against that.

“That’s discrimination,” you said plainly.

“I don’t disagree,” he said. “But your qualified for the job, have an outstanding record in non-flying communication, and you know how to deal with…” he trailed off.

You glared. “Asshole men who don’t want me anywhere near them?”

He shrugged.

You closed your eyes for a minute, trying to calm yourself and see sense in the situation. There was none.

“Don’t they kill people whenever they’re in a bad mood?”

“The Knights of Ren have been statistically proven to kill less women than men,” he said slowly.

“Good. Good,” you mumbled. “Wait. How much less likely?”

He tapped his fingers against the table. “About 10 percent.”

Your jaw dropped. “Ten percent? You can’t be serious!”

He shrugged. Your life was being put at risk for a measly 10 percent? “Yes. Maybe eleven.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath before looking back at him.

“Okay. How many of their previous pilots have they murdered?”

“Zero,” he said. Your shoulders relaxed until you saw his twisted expression.

“What? Are you lying?”

He paused. “No. They, um… haven’t had one before.”

You were frozen. “They’ve never had one?” He nodded. “And you think it’s a good idea to send me onto their ship alone?”

He leaned back in his chair. “Captain, you’re about to become the first woman to graduate from First Order Flight Academy. It’s for good reason. You’re smart, strong, and quick on your feet. And you know how to get things done, no matter the cost and no matter how unexpected. You can do this.”

You sighed. “Sir, flattery won’t get you anywhere with me,” you told him.

“It doesn’t have to. You have your assignment, and unless you want your title stripped, I suggest you follow it,” he told you. You were taken aback by his sudden change in mood. His expression told that he was not going to take no for an answer. “Plus, you likely won’t even see the Knights. Just fly the ship for their missions every few days.”

You bit down on your tongue, forcing yourself to calm before saying something regrettable. “Sir, I’m at the top of my class. I’m as talented—or more—than anyone in the class. I should be in the Brigade. I’m more than capable.”

“I’m well aware, Captain. Your record is almost impossibly impressive.”

You swallowed. “Then why am I chauffeuring the Knights of Ren around?”

He gave you an apologetic look. “Captain, I promise you, this assignment is not as easy as you think it’ll be. Do well in something like this, and it could set you apart from the others.”

You very highly doubted that, but with a quick salute and ‘yes, sir’, you were out the door. Taking a seat on the bench right outside, you slumped, feeling sorry—and scared—for yourself. You were so close to graduation, and they gave you the last assignment you wanted. All the boys from Academy were probably laughing their asses off. They’d get to fly TIEs and see the galaxy while you, what? Babysat a bunch of temper tantrum brats while fearing for your life. Great.

“In a few years, girls in academy will ask, ‘hey I wonder what happened to that first girl to graduate here’,” you mumbled to yourself. “’Oh, she got murdered by the Knights of Ren. Very cool’. This is just great.”

As usual, the main hangar was buzzing with activity; stormtroopers loading into ships for deployment, people bringing shipments, mechanics working on the ships. Usually the hangar filled you with excitement, but today, it felt like a death sentence.

Not much was known about the Knights of Ren, but it was common knowledge to stay away from them as much as possible. There was a rumor that one of them killed a physician who tried to help them after a training accident. No one knew if it was true, but based on the one glimpse you’d ever had of them, it wasn’t very hard to believe.

They were terrifying in their black clothes and with their menacing weapons. They practically radiated power. They were led by Kylo Ren, apparently the most powerful Force user in the Galaxy. You hadn’t even believed in the Force until you saw him lift someone up by the throat and throw them into a wall. With his fucking mind.

You didn’t know exactly what it was that they did for the First Order, but it probably wasn’t anything good. Unluckily, you were going to find out soon.

“You got this, Cap,” you told yourself, standing up. “You got through Flight Academy. You can do this.” You shrugged your shoulders a few times, hyping yourself up.

The Night Buzzard was docked where it always was. You’d passed it millions of times, but never really gave it much thought. It was gaudy and tacky and excessively dark looking, but that was fitting for the Knights.

It was once a prison ship stolen by the Knights. The First Order had offered them newer, nicer ships when they joined, but they kept their old ship.

You made your way to the ship, fear setting in further with every step. As scared as you were, you were excited to fly it though. During school, it was taught that The Night Buzzard was one of the hardest ships to fly, but one of the fastest. The Knights had torn apart and rebuilt the engines crudely to make the ship impossibly quick for a ship that size.

Obviously, you loved a challenge—you’d gone and graduated Flight Academy when every person along the way doubted you—and this ship could be the most exciting yet.

At the bottom of the open ramp into the ship, you hesitated. Were you supposed to knock or something? Did they know you were coming? What if they killed you the second you got onboard?

You let out a heavy breath. “You’ve dealt with men bullying you for the last four years. You can handle a few brats with masks,” you reminded yourself.

More confidently than you felt, you marched up into the ship. It was pretty long, but a straight shot to the cockpit. For better or worse, the ship was empty.

Shutting the door behind you and taking a seat in the Captain’s chair, you let out a low whistle. Your fingers reverently trailed over the controls. It was much more than you’d dealt with in school, switches that did things you hadn’t practiced, and you were practically humming with excitement. Gone was the terror you’d earlier felt about the Knights, replaced with curiosity and determination.

You flipped a few switches, putting the seat to where you wanted it. The copilot’s seat was a couple feet away, but you didn’t need one. You started the ship up, and she purred, ready for flight. Your fingers ran over the control column, feeling the ship coming to life under your touch, an extension of yourself. You were meant for this ship, and she agreed.

Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as you thought.

The door crashed open and one of the Knights burst through the door. Before you could react, he’d hit the control board, effectively turning off the ship.

You opened your mouth to yell at him, but he beat you to it. “What the fuck is wrong with you? You can’t have the ship running in the hangar, the fumes would kill us all!” he said. You assumed he was looking at you but couldn’t be sure with the mask he was wearing.

“What do you mean fumes will kill us?”

He grunted like you were an idiot. “The toxic fumes from the engine running.” Anger was radiating from him.

You craned your neck to glare up at him, which was not as satisfying considering he was wearing a mask that covered all his facial features. You couldn’t see an inch of skin on him. He was probably a hideous monster or something. “Why the fuck are there toxic fumes coming from the engine?”

“We couldn’t get the ship to go faster without it.” Duh? “She’s got to be constantly flying when the engines are running,” he said. You wondered if his voice was always that harsh or if it was just the mask.

How the hell were you supposed to know that you’d be assigned to the only ship in the First Order that leaked toxic fumes when it was running? Just your luck. Cosmo and the other guys would be having a blast knowing you literally got assigned to a ship that wants to kill you.

“Wait, why don’t you get a mechanic to fix it?” you asked.

“Don’t trust them,” he said plainly. Fair enough, especially because the Knights weren’t technically First Order employees, they operated independently but happened to overlap in their goals. “Who are you?” he asked, as if just now realizing you were a stranger.

You held out your hand to him and told him your name. “I’m the new pilot of the Night Buzzard.”

He just stared at your hand. Your smile faded and your hand dropped back to the armrest.

“No. I’m the pilot of the Night Buzzard,” he said slowly.

You nodded. “Oh. Okay, you like to fly too. You can be the copilot if you want.”

His nostrils flared, and his fists clenched at his side. “I’m not a fucking copilot.”

A shot of annoyance flashed through you, but you pushed it down. You knew the Knights of Ren were going to be a pain in the ass to deal with, you just weren’t expecting this.

“Okay, then you don’t need to help me fly. That’s okay.”

He opened his mouth, but nothing except unintelligible sounds came out. What was this guy’s deal? Finally, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at you.

“I’m not helping you fly! I’m flying. I’m the pilot of this fucking ship, and I don’t need you!” he said.

You rolled your eyes. Men had been telling you since flight school that you were unneeded, unnecessary, and untalented. It was utter bantha shit, and you weren’t going to take it from this guy.

You got to your feet and returned his unfriendly stare. “Look dude, I’ve had a long day. I don’t want to be here-”

“Good,” he said, cutting you off mid-sentence. “Then we’re in agreement about something.”

Pushing back a scream, you put your hands on your hips. “I don’t want to be here, but it’s my job. If you have a problem with it, take it up with Commander Ren or General Hux.”

He stared at you, shaking with anger. “I will,” he snapped, before turning and storming out. Your shoulders instantly relaxed, and you settled back into the pilot’s seat.


	2. The feeling’s mutual

Kuruk stormed to the Master of the Knights of Ren in a blur of anger and confusion. Kylo must have felt his explosive emotions through the bond he and all the Knights shared, because when Kuruk burst into Kylo’s room, Kylo said, “What’s the matter with you?”

He threw his hands up in the air, exacerbated. “What’s the matter with me? There’s some chick in my seat on the Buzzard!”

Kylo’s eyebrows pinched briefly before flattening out. “Oh yes, the Captain. Hux and I hired her.”

Kuruk motioned as if waiting for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. “Okay. Why? The Buzzard already has a pilot. Me.”

Kylo chuckled humorlessly. “Yes, I know, but now there’s a new one. You’re going to be needed for other things.”

“I can still do those things too!” Whatever they were. Kuruk was getting frustrated now. The Knights had only been together for a few years, but he had always flown them. Even before they commandeered the Night Buzzard, he had always been the one to take the controls, and it was something he prided himself on. And enjoyed.

It was how he got off of his wretched home planet, and he’d even gotten Ren, their original master to agree to take him since they were in need of a pilot. He’d passed all the other tests to join, but his skills and unparalleled mastery of flying is what got Ren interested in him in the first place. It really meant everything to him, and after working to improve the Buzzard, there was no way he was letting some wide-eyed novice anywhere near the cockpit while it was flying.

“Kuruk, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but our focus needs to be on finding the map to Skywalker.”

Kuruk crossed his arms over his chest. “Kylo, I’m the one supposed to be flying.”

Kylo rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know. And you’re a great pilot. I could fly The Buzzard too if I wanted... But I don’t. Because we’re Knights, not delivery men.”

Kuruk tapped his foot on the ground. Kylo, seeing that Kuruk was actually upset patted his shoulder.

“I know you like to be in the pilot’s seat, but this is a good thing. I promise. Now you can spend more time relaxing and hanging out,” he said, turning to head back to the lounge room. He stopped briefly. “Plus, we have autopilot. We really don’t need one anyway.”

He let out a breath through his nostrils. “I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.”

Kylo gave him a sympathetic look. “It’s a testament to how well you’ve modified the ship.” Kuruk relaxed slightly. “But she’s supposedly a great pilot.”

Kuruk pouted. “I didn’t even know The First Order had female pilots.”

“They didn’t until her. So, she has to at least kind of know what she’s doing.”

He thought it over. Kylo wasn’t lying—the Knights couldn’t lie to each other because of their bond—but it wasn’t good enough for him.

“I don’t care how good she is. We don’t need her.”

“Kuruk, please. She’s highly qualified and a good pilot. The only way I’m making her leave is if she quits,” Kylo told him. “I need you to take her on a test flight today and make sure she knows how to fly The Buzzard. We’ll be going out on it tomorrow.”

Kuruk mumbled some gibberish agreements, but once he left the room, he was grinning. If getting you to quit was the only way to get rid of you, then he was going to make it his immediate mission.

~

“Can you believe it? A chauffeur for the Knights of Ren! Like I’m their mom driving them across the galaxy to take them to their soccer games,” you exclaimed angrily, huffing as you dropped into the seat across from Silas.

Silas was your best—and only—friend within the Academy. Your first day of class, every time the professor turned around, one of the asshole boys around you would snatch your notes from you, refusing to give them back. When you brought it up to the professor, he mumbled something about women being full of drama and did nothing. You were fuming, but after class, Silas had approached you, handing you his notes. You’d been near inseparable since then.

He gave you an apologetic smile from across the table. “I’m sure it’ll be much more interesting than you’re expecting.”

Your shoulders relaxed a little. “Interesting, definitely. One of the Knights came in, all big and buff, talking about how ‘I’m the rightful pilot of The Night Buzzard’,” you said, dropping your voice and flexing your muscles to imitate him. “The guy’s an ass.”

Silas shrugged guiltily. “It is pretty cool that you get to work with the Knights of Ren. They’re kind of badass.”

You jaw dropped. “Silas! You’re supposed to be on my side.”

He chuckled, putting his hands up in defense. “Okay, okay. I’m sure he’s an ass.” You realized that you didn’t know the Knight’s name. Probably better that way, keeping things impersonal—not that you would have to try very hard.

“He is,” you insisted. “I’m just glad he didn’t toss me out of the hangar and into space.” Silas gave you a pitying look. “Oh, gosh, Silas, I’m sorry! I didn’t even ask what your assignment is.”

His expression looked like he was swallowing something sour.

“You got it, didn’t you?” you asked.

He nodded.

You smiled, placing your hand on his. “Silas, I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you,” he said. “I know you’re upset though.”

You laughed. “Yeah, I’m insanely jealous. Still happy for you though.”

“You should be in the Brigade with me.”

Sighing, you leaned back in your chair. “Trust me, I know.” You really were happy for him, that wasn’t a lie, but you were sad. Being in the Brigade together had been a dream for the last four years, and it was so close to happening.

To make your day even better, Cosmo and three of his brainless lackeys walked up to where you were eating lunch. Your fists were already clenched before he even made it to the table.

Taking more effort than he deserved, you smoothed your face into a polite smile. “Cosmo. How are you?”

He smirked. “Me? I’m great.” His face twisted into one of false pity. “I wanted to make sure you were doing okay.”

Your nostrils flared. “And why wouldn’t I be?”

At that, the boys behind him broke out into ugly grins.

“Well, because your assignment, of course,” he drawled, hand over his heart, mocking you. “It must have been hard knowing they had to make up an assignment for you because you weren’t cut out for real jobs with the big boys.”

Your jaw clenched, almost painfully as you restrained yourself from lunging at him. Silas looked like he was doing the same. As much as you’d love to see Silas punch Cosmo in the mouth, he knew you didn’t want his help in these situations. The boys already thought you were too frail for the Academy as it was. Pilots in the First Order don’t need protectors.

“Thank you for your concern, Cosmo,” you said through gritted teeth, “but I’m very excited for my assignment.”

“Really?” he asked, and you nodded.

One of his monkeys stepped up. Aaron, one of the people you were in competition with for highest marks.

“We heard the Knights couldn’t say the same. We actually heard one of them was trying to get you fired,” Aaron smirked.

Your back stiffened. It must have been the one you’d had the unfortunate run in with earlier. The asshole. You knew he was hostile, but not enough to get you fired. And if he was, apparently, he works fast.

“Well, you must have heard incorrectly.”

He sneered. “Yeah, I’m sure.” As immature as the whole situation was, you felt yourself heating with anger.

“It’s important work,” you hissed at them. Even though you were disappointed with your assignment, you had the sudden urge to defend it to these pricks. “The Commander and his Knights need a reliable pilot for their cross-galaxy missions. Someone quick on their feet and can get through any situation.” Your voice was raised by the end, causing them to look even more entertained.

“It’s okay, you can admit you’re a glorified chauffeur.”

Your eye twitched. If you weren’t in your last month of Academy, you’d punch them all in their ugly faces. But they weren’t getting kicked out for, not when you were this close to being the first woman to graduate to Major.

And like the responsible, mature woman you were, you smiled at each of them. “You’re so right. Because that’s the only job that could be entrusted to a frail, clueless woman like me, right?”

Their smirks fell, and your shoulders relaxed a bit.

“Obviously,” Cosmo snapped before turning back to his goons. “Come on. We should get back to the Colonel. The Brigade is needed for actual work in the hangar.”

And with that, they turned, but not before shooting you and Silas condescending looks.

“I wouldn’t mind if you accidentally shot his TIE out of the freaking sky during training,” you grumbled, glaring as Cosmo walked away.

Silas unclenched his fist, only relaxing once they were out of sight. “Don’t tempt me.”

You gave him a sad smile. “You’re leaving already?”

He nodded. “Yeah, just for a few days though.”

You pouted playfully. “As jealous as I am, I really am happy for you.”

He pursed his lips, shaking his head. “You should be there too. You deserve it.”

“I know,” you snorted. “You have to be better than them. I can’t wait to see their faces when you have higher marks than them.”

He chuckled, standing and pulling you to your feet. “That’s the best motivation I can think of.”

You threw your arms around his neck, wrapping him in a quick hug. Pulling back, you smiled. “You better get going.”

He smiled. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, giving you a mock salute before turning to meet Cosmo and the other assholes in the Brigade.

After your words with Cosmo, you really did feel more defendant of your new position. Kylo Ren and the Knights were at the highest ranks in the Order, even operating independently of it, but the Order relied on them. They wouldn’t give your job to just anyone.

Plus, anyone can fly a TIE fighter. Not everyone could fly the Buzzard.

Even after your unpleasant lunch, and the less than warm welcome from the Knight, you were still excited for the test flight as you made your way to the ship.

Thankfully, when you got there, the ship was empty, giving you time to look around and get a layout. As an upcycled prison ship, there were lots of rooms—probably formerly cells—throughout the ship. You wondered briefly if they ever slept on the ship. One door was open. After ensuring it was vacant, you stepped in.

A lounge. How weird. There were large, comfortable looking couches, a refrigerator, and even a dart board. The thought of the Knights in their big clunking armor, playing darts and sipping beer was amusing. Is that what they did when they weren’t on their missions?

After perusing the rest of the ship, you found it to be quite large and roomy, feeling nothing like a prison. There were couches and tables throughout, and although plain, and mostly black, the ship felt homier than others you’d flown.

There were three shooting turrets, one in the front, middle, and back, equipped with high tech blaster cannons. You gulped. Whatever those were for, it was probably going to make your job much more interesting.

You made your way to the control room, looking out the window and hangar, out into the vast expanse of space in front of you. This ship was meant to be out there, and you couldn’t wait to fly it. You ran a finger lightly over the board, memorizing each switch, lever, and button. You had to get it right. You couldn’t fail. Too many people were expecting it. If spite alone got you through this (which was maybe how you’d gotten through the last four years), then it would be a success.

Someone clearing their throat behind you caused you to jump. Your head whipped to the door to see, but you already knew who it was. The asshole Knight from earlier.

“Looks like you’ve gotten comfortable on the ship,” he said, voice deep through the mask.

You crossed your arms over your chest, feeling confrontational, but trying to hold your tongue. “Well, it is my job after all.” He didn’t react—or maybe he did but you couldn’t see under the mask and excessive layers he was wearing. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing on my ship?” he asked. Your cheeks heated. Right.

“What are you doing here right now? I have a test flight scheduled in a few minutes.”

He snorted, back straightening as he looked down at you—or so you assumed. “Yes, I’m aware.”

Your lips pressed together tightly. “Then shoo. I’m waiting for someone to assist me for the trial run.”

Even through his mask, you could feel an annoyed expression asking, ‘ _Seriously?_ ’. You sighed. Of course.

“It’s you, isn’t it?”

He nodded once. “Well, at least we know you’re not completely dumb.”

Your jaw dropped as he approached the board. “Excuse me?” you hissed.

“Or you’re deaf then?”

Your fists tightened at your sides. At this point, you were surprised you hadn’t pierced the skin with how often you’d done that in one day.

“I’m neither.”

“Good. Because that would make this a little bit harder.” He neared the Captain’s seat. It was petty, and ridiculous, but you didn’t think you could handle him taking your seat. You slid into it, accidentally skimming his ass while you claimed the seat. Your cheeks were on fire, but there was probably no way he felt that through all his layers.

Or maybe he had, based on the way his head snapped around to look at you. You turned away, not wanting to make eye contact. You could hear him grumbling to himself as he took the Second in Command’s seat, but it wasn’t until you heard the clank of metal on metal that you turned back.

Your gaze caught his helmet, laying empty on the control board, staring at you. It was unsettling, but nothing compared to what you saw when your eyes met his.

The Knight was… Well, he was hot. Beautiful really. He was just a couple of years older than you, but something in his eyes told you he’d seen more than someone his age should have. His dark eyes took in yours as you gawked. He was all cheekbones, with a jawline that was probably more dangerous than his weapon. His dirty blond hair was messy from the helmet, but fell in light waves, perfectly framing his face. He was gorgeous. Why did he wear the mask all the time?

But based on the way your body was reacting to him, you wished he’d put it back on.

His face hardened. “What?”

Blinking, you shook your head, wondering how someone that beautiful could be so rude and infuriating. You didn’t know if it made it better or worse that you now knew he was human.

“Nothing,” you mumbled. “Nothing at all.” You turned back to the controls. “Can you show me how to fly this thing so we can get this over with?”

He sighed. He didn’t want you there anymore than you wanted him there. At least you were more polite about showing it.

As if proving your point, he grumbled, “I’m only showing you because Kylo ordered it. I don’t like you here at all.”

“Great, then I know the feeling’s mutual.”

He went over the less obvious controls, speaking as if every instruction he told you hurt him. But now you could see why he was so protective of the ship. He wasn’t just a Knight and a pilot; he was a mechanic too. He’d modified many things in the engines, the thrusters, the hyperdrive, and much more, making them to better suit their needs and, quite frankly, to make a really badass ship. Unfortunately, that meant a lot of compensations in the control boards. If he wasn’t showing you everything, there was no way you’d be able to fly the ship. The Colonel was right; this ship was a challenge, and it was one not everyone in Academy could handle. A quick sense of pride shot through you.

Looking over the panel, you frowned. The Knight had gone over a lot of information, nothing you couldn’t handle, but what if he was lying?

You appreciated everything he was telling you, but took it all with a grain of salt. You couldn’t exactly as anyone for instruction, because if half of what he said about the modifications were true, there probably wouldn’t be anyone else on base that could help you decipher the controls. But you couldn’t help but be skeptical. It wasn’t a secret that he didn’t want you on the ship.

A loud, frustrated sigh from him drew your attention. “What?” you asked.

“I can feel that you have a question. Ask it.”

“I-” you started. Wait. What? “You can feel it?”

He nodded, as if bored of the conversation already. “Yes.”

You mulled it over in your head. You knew Kylo Ren had the Force, but his Knights did too?

“I’m Force sensitive,” he told you, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Yeah, I deduced as much.” You wrapped your arms around your chest, as if shielding your body would shield your mind from him. Kylo Ren could read minds and throw people across rooms with a flick of his wrist. He could choke people from a hundred yards away. Could all the Knights do that? And if they could, why hadn’t this one? “You can read minds?” you asked him, blushing. What if he’d heard your thoughts earlier when you were checking him out?

He snorted. “No.”

When it was clear he wasn’t going to answer, you pressed on. “So…?”

“So. I can feel you’re weary of me and have a question. It’s annoying.”

“Is that why you’re so vocally rude to me? I’m not Force sensitive so you’re afraid I’ll miss the distaste you have for me?”

He didn’t dignify you with a response.

“Just letting you know; I did catch the hint.”

Something strange flashed through his face. It wasn’t guilt, but something close to it. He quickly shook it out, his face smoothing into a blank stone. Unfortunately, even annoyed with you, he was still one of the most attractive people you’d ever seen.

Looking out the window, you sighed. “Are you telling me the truth about the controls?”

You could feel his flabbergasted stare on your face. “Excuse me?”

“Did you give me faulty instructions for the controls to make me look bad and get me fired?”

He scoffed. “You think I’d risk my life, and the life of my brothers, just to spite you?”

Your cheeks heated. He had a point. If he really, truly wanted you gone, he obviously had the physical capabilities to do so.

But slowly, his shoulders relaxed, and he waved towards the controls. “Take her for a ride. See for yourself.”

Even with how rude he’d been, you felt yourself getting giddy with excitement.

Before your brain could process it, your hands were already on the control board, flitting above the buttons that would pull you off base and into space.

Your gaze snapped to his. You ignored the way his dazzling eyes and gorgeous features made you feel in the pit of your belly.

“What’s your name?” you asked him.

“Why do you care?”

“If I’m going to have someone back seat flying with me the whole time, I’d prefer to know their name.”

He turned his eyes back to the glass, watching as you passed stars and galaxies. He was silent for so long that you thought he was going to ignore you, but eventually, he said, “Kuruk.”

You didn’t smile, and you knew better than to think he’d ever relinquish the pilot’s seat without a fight after this, but for a moment it was nice to be in the same room as him without him radiating anger or insulting you.

Kuruk. It was an interesting name, one you hadn’t heard before, but it suited him. Strong, unique, and somehow, making you want to know more.

Quickly, you shook the thought from your head. If he really could detect what you were feeling, you didn’t need him hearing your thoughts about his appearance, giving him an even bigger ego.

Sighing, your hand found the control wheel, and so did his. His leather glove brushed over your bare hand. You sucked in a breath, your hand recoiling instantly.

He frowned, looking down at his own hand before looking back to you. For the first time, he looked at you like an actual person, not just a rival or competitor for his job. Not a nuisance or an annoyance.

But the look disappeared as quickly as it had formed. His hand retracted too, and he nodded toward the control with his chin, frown back in its rightful place on his face.

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

Ignoring whatever had just happened between you too, you grinned through the window, wasting no time in pulling the ship up and out of atmosphere.


	3. You likely won’t be here for long

When the ship touched back down on base, you were grinning ear to ear. You parked effortlessly, after having the most exciting flight you’d had in months. The ship hummed under you, responding to you perfectly, as if you were meant for her.

The modifications made to it were incredible, allowing her to fly faster and maneuver more easily. After a few minutes, your heart seemed to be beating in time with the ship’s rumbles. You were breathless, feeling high and unstoppable. It was incredible.

“That was awesome!” you squealed.

Apparently, Kuruk didn’t agree. His arms were crossed, staring out the window when you turned off the ship. He just huffed.

You rolled your eyes, even his sore attitude unable to break your mood.

“What? You’re going to pretend that I wasn’t amazing up there?”

His hard eyes snapped towards yours. “If you’re expecting praise for accomplishing the bare minimum for your job, you won’t be getting it from me.”

Okay, that did ruin your mood.

“Whatever, Kuruk,” you sighed, pushing up from your chair. “I’m going to enjoy the rest of my night. Based on your mood, I assume that you won’t be doing the same.” You walked to leave, stopping briefly by the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The sound of his chair creaking loudly froze you in place.

“Why?” His voice was rough.

You turned. “The flight logs showed the Buzzard leaving for Hosnian Prime in the morning.”

The way he frowned showed that he was expecting you not to know about that. Was it a surprise to him that you, the Night Buzzard’s new pilot, would be updated about these things? He was infuriating.

“Your presence won’t be necessary tomorrow, Officer,” he said.

Your jaw tightened. “Captain,” you corrected him through gritted teeth. “And unless my boss, or yours,” you added harshly, “requests otherwise, I’ll be here.”

Before you could see his expression, you turned, leaving him alone on the ship. You shook your head, walking to your room. After that awe-inspiring flight, you didn’t think anything could bring you down from cloud nine, but Kuruk was nothing if not determined.

~

When you got to the ship the next morning, you had conflicting feelings. Knowing what a unique ship the Buzzard was, you no longer felt like you’d been given a bull shit assignment. You were excited, being able to fly the thing yourself, having full reign, and with how far Hosnian Prime is, you’d really get to test her speed. But honestly, you were nervous too. Flying with only Kuruk yesterday was one thing—it was your first time with the ship, so if you messed up, it would have been forgivable—but today would be entirely different. It’d be a true test of your abilities. You were trying to quell your stomach as you checked the engines and diagnostics around the ship.

When the Knights of Ren arrived, you could feel them before you could see them. There was an air of superiority around them, igniting, at best, discomfort, and at worst, pure terror, in anyone they passed. For you, it was a healthy mix. A couple of them nodded towards you before boarding the ship. You tried to calm yourself, making your mind blank. They’re all Force sensitive, and the last thing you needed was for them to know how nervous you were.

Kuruk stayed behind to speak to you, along with another Knight. You knew who it was immediately. Kylo Ren. He was the tallest of the group, and by far, the most menacing. They all dressed similarly and carried themselves the same, but there was something about him that demanded respect.

You fought the urge to curtsey or something. “Commander Ren.”

“Captain.” His voice was low and modulated. You’d never been this close to him. You tried to convince yourself not to be terrified: If he didn’t want you there, you wouldn’t be, so that had to mean something. You briefly regarded Kuruk—you knew he was glaring at you through the mask. “I expect everything is ready to go?”

You nodded shakily. “Yes, sir. Ready for takeoff whenever you are.”

He stared at you through the mask for a moment before walking up the ramp into the ship, and Kuruk followed. That meant they were ready, right?

You shrugged, checking the diagnostics one more time before making your way to the cockpit and took your rightful seat in the Captain’s seat. You took a deep breath, ready to fly. A cough by the door froze you in your seat.

“What do you want, Kuruk?” You didn’t have to look to know it was him, his suffocating presence unmistakable.

“Kylo told me I’m supposed to let you take over flying,” he grumbled. Your mouth twitched.

“I have a feeling you didn’t take it well?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s just one flight. You likely won’t be here for long.”

You whipped around in your chair. “What the fuck does that mean?” But he was already gone. Your chest tightened. Was that a threat?

Shaking your head, you looked back to the control panel, excitement running through your veins. You closed the ramp, checked everything one more time, then revved the engines. Pulling up on the wheel, you brought the ship out of the hangar, and promptly out of atmosphere. The ship hummed under your touch.

You smiled to yourself. Your first official mission during this assignment. Everything was going well.

Until it wasn’t.

A few minutes in, a warning light flashed on at the top of the control board. “What the fuck?” you whispered to yourself. And another light switched on. Impossible. You’d double checked—no, triple checked—every diagnostic tool before the flight.

Heart racing, you scanned the board. Gas, atmosphere, thrusters, everything looked fine. The ship shuddered and sped up even more. It made sounds much worse than it usually did—which was saying a lot.

Navigation gave out, and you had to bite down your fear. “Focus, Captain, you’ve got this.”

You pulled back on the acceleration, but the lever just creaked as the ship sped even more, as if mocking you. This couldn’t be happening. Your first time flying this alone and the ship malfunctions? Maybe you really didn’t deserve to be in the program.

The ship shook violently, and you held on to the seat to keep from getting thrown to the floor.

Behind you, the door flew open, and Kuruk ran in, bracing himself on the door frame. He looked terrified. And pissed.

“What the fuck did you do?” he asked.

You turned, trying to stay calming and utterly failing. “I didn’t do anything! This ship is a piece of shit!”

Anger flashed through his eyes, and for the first time, you wished he would put the mask back on. “Sure feels like you’re a piece of shit pilot.”

Jaw clenched, you turned back to the controls. With navigation and the control wheel malfunctioning, there wasn’t much you could do except uselessly try to steer the spasming ship. You hit a button meant to reverse the thrusters, but all it did was jerk to the side. You narrowly avoided getting thrown against the wall at the sharp turn.

When you looked back out the window, you nearly screamed. The ship was barreling towards an asteroid belt, and it wasn’t slowing down.

Kuruk was beside the chair now, gripping it and the control board to stay upright. “Move over. Let me fly.”

You huffed in his face, turning back to try almost every button and switch in an attempt to right the ship. “Fat chance.”

He made a sound of disbelief. “We’re heading towards a bunch of fucking rocks that could tear the ship apart and you want to have a pissing contest right now?”

You didn’t answer. Your heart was nearly beating out of your chest. You tugged on the wheel, but the ship stayed on its course. If you couldn’t fix it, you’d fly right into one of the huge asteroids.

“Seriously,” he snapped, bending to stare at you at eye level. You gulped under the intensity of his look. “Get up and let me fly. I can help.”

Huffing, you shook your head. “I have it under control.”

“You don’t.”

“Yes, I fucking do,” you spat.

His jaw dropped before looking between you and the view out the window. “You’re going to kill us all! Is your pride worth getting blown up over?”

Your mind—and heart—were racing a million miles an hour. And so was the ship. The asteroids were nearing at incomprehensible speeds. And you had no clue how to fix it.

Every inch of you was on fire, indecision and terror igniting your nerves. A good Captain was supposed to go down with their ship. They taught you that in Academy. You were supposed to try until the very end to do your duty.

It was bantha shit.

As much as you would like to see Kuruk’s face smashing into an asteroid, you didn’t want to do the same. You were seconds away from it happening

“Fine!” you screamed, jumping out of the captain’s seat and into the copilot’s. Instantly, he was seated, all but shoving you out of the way. If you weren’t so terrified, you’d be angry. And embarrassed.

He pulled up on the wheel and flicked a few buttons too quickly for you to see. The asteroid was nearing, but at the last moment, the ship swerved, barely brushing the floating debris before returning to its original course.

Your jaw nearly hit the floor. He’d handled the ship so easily, figuring out what was wrong with ease.

“How’d you do that?” you asked him in near disbelief.

The cocky look he shot you made you wish the ship had blown up. “I already told you; I’m the rightful pilot of this ship.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Your heart was still threatening to pound out of your chest.

“If our near-death experience wasn’t enough to prove that to you, I don’t know what will.” He turned, looking back to the controls and completely ignoring your existence. Now that the ship was safe, your fists shook with anger, not fear.

How had you let this happen? You’d checked everything before takeoff. Even with your years of training and field experience, when it mattered most, you were unable to fly. And Kuruk had righted your mistakes in seconds.

Maybe he was right. Maybe everyone was right. Maybe you didn’t deserve to be a pilot.

Your arms crossed over your chest. Voice small, you asked, “What happened?”

He didn’t even look your way. “No clue. When we land, I can figure it out and explain it to you… So you don’t make the same mistake on another ship.” His emphasis on ‘another’ made your blood boil.

“What do you mean, ‘another ship’?”

“Are you dense?” He gave you a condescendingly look. “You nearly got us killed on your first assignment, and you think you still deserve to be here?”

Your jaw clenched. “I don’t know what happened, but it wasn’t my fault. I checked everything before takeoff, and everything was fine.”

“It kind of sounds like it is your fault then.”

Your mouth opened, but nothing came out. You made yourself content to wallow in misery for the rest of the ride. You watched how he flew, paying close attention to every move he made.

And you were definitely staring to learn… NOT to watch the way his tendons flexed when he gripped the wheel, and NOT thinking about how his strong grip would feel on your-

“How much longer?” you asked, needing to banish any thoughts like that.

“About an hour.”

You sat in silent embarrassment for the rest of the ride. You went over what happened a million times in your head. You knew that everything was perfect with the ship when you took off, so what happened? The only variable in this situation then… was you.

Almost to the destination, Kuruk grimaced, giving you a nasty look. “Can you stop feeling sorry for yourself? I can feel it, and you’re bumming me out.” Right. The damn Force.

You ignored him, not wanting to give him anything else to fuel his ego.

Fractionally, his face softened. “Look, kid, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s a tough ship to fly, and it’s not meant for just anyone.” Maybe you were bitter, but his tone seemed extra condescending today. Fucking asshole. “Stay on your assignment here if you want, but from now on, I won’t be back seat piloting. I’ll be flying, and you can watch and learn from me if you stay.”

There was a sour taste on your tongue, and it took everything not to lash out at him. It probably wouldn’t be very professional. And he’d definitely kick your ass. He could probably fight you while flying the ship and do both perfectly.

You seethed. Silas and the others on the Brigade were probably having a great day—learning cool tricks and flight patterns, doing important stuff for the Order, and definitely not almost running head first into asteroids. As much as messing up had pissed you off, the thought of Cosmo—of every man that had doubted you—being right, made you want to punch something.

When Kuruk landed on Hosnian Prime—effortlessly and gracefully, as expected—he left with no more than an obligatory nod in your direction. While the Knights were off doing whatever, you looked around the ship, trying to find anything that could explain the malfunction that happened earlier. Short of actually taking apart the engines, you did everything, but nothing. Really and truly, there was no reason the ship should have failed.

Maybe Kuruk was right. Maybe you were the faulty variable.

~

It had been easier than expected to get Kylo a meeting with the current leader of Hosnian Prime. The Knights were expecting bloodshed, and they were ready for it too, but when they landed and made it to the Capital building, security just… let them in. Good thing too, because they would have lost in a fight. But it left the Knights twitching for something to do while Kylo continued his meeting. They offered to go in with him, for protection, but of course, he didn’t need it.

So, they were at a bar, pounding drinks while you stayed out of sight on the ship. With their size, it took much to get them drunk, but after a few, they were starting to loosen up.

“I still can’t believe how easily they let us in,” Vicrul said, slamming his empty mug on the table a little too harshly.

“I know,” Ap’lek grumbled. “Freaking cowards.” He looked around the bar at the few patrons who hadn’t scattered as soon as the Knights walked it, proving his point. They just stared at the large, leather clad men, eyes wide. He huffed.

Trudgen shook his head, chuckling. “You boys are crazy. We don’t have to fight someone every time we leave base.”

“Sure. But it’s way more fun,” Ushar said. They all grumbled in agreement.

“Okay, okay, fair,” he conceded, hands up in self-defense. “But the doc is going to be happy if we come home scratch free.”

Cardo pursed his lips. “I guess. I kind of like when she patches me up though.”

Trudgen shot him a glare. “Better not let Kylo hear those thoughts about the Doctor. He’ll kill you.”

“Ugh. True,” he admitted, trying to banish the perverted thoughts that were seeping through, which they could all feel.

“Dude. Seriously. We can literally all feel what you’re feeling. You need to take your urges out on someone else,” Kuruk told him.

Ap’lek scoffed. “Like you are with the new pilot?”

Kuruk scoffed loudly, but his cheeks reddened. “You’re joking right? I freaking hate her. She’s narcissistic, underqualified, over eager, and annoying, and… And she almost got us killed today!”

Ushar smirked. “We didn’t die. And you put a lot of thought into describing someone that you hate.”

Kuruk glared at him, while the others around the table chuckled. “Whatever. She’s still annoying.”

Trudgen rolled his eyes at Kuruk’s rant. “Dude, you were literally just talking the other day about how hot you think women who can fly are.”

“So?”

“So,” Trudgen chuckled. “She’s hot. And she can fly. You should be trying to get her number instead of getting her fired.”

Kuruk’s nostrils flared. “Sure, she can fly… A different ship.”

Ap’lek nodded from across the table. “I agree. We don’t need anyone on the ship besides us. It’s bad enough Hux has the Doctor with us on almost every mission.”

Cardo threw a water bottle at his head. “Your opinion doesn’t count. You’d rather die than talk to someone outside of us… Or just murder them.” Ap’lek just huffed, not disagreeing.

Ushar laughed at Ap’lek’s response before turning back to Kuruk, slapping him upside the head. Kuruk tried to hit him back, but he was too slow.

“Trudgen’s got a point,” Ushar said.

Kuruk huffed a breath before even looking his way. “What point?”

Vicrul made a face as if to say ‘are you dumb?’ to Kuruk. “Hux dropped a hot, smart girl who can fly literally right into your seat, and you’re complaining?”

Kuruk rolled his eyes. “What, Kylo hooks up with Doc one time and now all you guys can think about is us getting laid by other First Order employees?”

Vicrul shrugged, unashamed. “Well it’s not like we have much opportunity to while we’re raiding planets,” he said, and the other Knights nodded in agreement. “Plus, we can literally feel him getting laid through the bond. You’re telling me you’re not getting blue balls?”

“I’m not,” Ushar added unhelpfully, grinning, referring to their new trainer that he’d been late night rolling with. Everyone glared at him.

“Yeah,” Trudgen grumbled, making a face. “We fucking know.” Ushar was unbothered.

“Look, all I’m say is,” Vicrul said, bringing the conversation back on track. “Stop complaining, Kuruk. The Captain is fucking hot.”

Kuruk crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his seat. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Ushar scoffed. “What, you’ve got that joystick too far up your ass to notice that she’s really attractive?”

“I’m a little more focused on the fact that she’s stealing my job.”

The men all grumbled. “Get over yourself, Kuruk. No one’s saying you have to fall in love with her. No one’s even saying you have to like her,” Vicrul said. “Just fuck her a few times so we don’t have to feel your weird, paradoxical feelings about her every time we’re flying.”

Kuruk just rolled his eyes. “Shut up about her, or next time, I’ll let her blow us up.” They all just laughed and ordered another round.

~

A few hours, and a lot more near mental breakdowns, later, you were still no closer to figuring out what had made the Night Buzzard go haywire like it did. The sound of loud, obnoxious men drew your attention from the checks you were doing on the back of the ship.

“Hi there, Captain,” one of them waved in mock salute, and a couple of them followed his lead, then they all disappeared up the ramp. All but one.

Before he could get up, you slid in his way, blocking his path. For a second, you really thought he was going to plow you over, but at the last second, he stopped, sighing loudly. You could practically hear his eye roll under his mask.

“What?” he grumbled.

“I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the ship.”

“Honestly. I wasn’t expecting you to.”

Though you should have been desensitized at this point, his words still hurt you, making your chest tighten and fists clench.

“Then we shouldn’t be flying it.”

Chuckling, he plucked his mask off, tucking in under on arm. “No,” he clasped you on the shoulder, a mockery of what one might do to a friend, “ _you_ shouldn’t be flying it.”

For a moment, you saw red, you whole body shaking in anger. He stepped around you, walking up the ramp. That’s when you noticed: his cheeks were flushed, his hair was ratted, and his eyes had a foggy sparkle to them.

“You’re drunk.”

“And you’re annoying. Are we just stating the obvious?”

Your nostrils flared. “Ignoring that,” you said, following him up the ramp. You basically had to run to keep up with him as he stormed to the cock pit. A couple of Knights were in the hallway, watching you trail behind Kuruk, mumbling nonsense and curses at him under your breath.

“What?” you snapped at them, irritated. They just shrugged as you walked into the control room, slamming the door behind you. By the time you got there, Kuruk was already-

“That’s my seat,” you told him. He barely even glanced at you. It was a silly thing to care about. Someone could really fly the ship from either seat, but he was in the captain’s seat—your seat—and you wanted it back. When it was obvious that he wasn’t moving, you crossed your arms over your chest and pointed your chin up. “It’s just a chair, Kuruk,” you said condescendingly.

“If it’s just a chair, then you won’t mind sitting in that one,” he offered, nodding towards the second’s chair.

You took a deep breath. He was stubborn, and annoying, and obviously seeing if he could piss you off enough into quitting.

“That’s. My. Seat,” you said as calmly as possible. Apparently, it wasn’t that calm because he broke out in a smile.

“If you want to sit on it,” he said, patting one muscular thigh with his hand and shooting a suggestive look, “you’re welcome to.”

Your jaw dropped in anger at his audacity. He laughed at your expression, and finally, you conceded, flopping into the other chair with a grunt.

His invitation to sit on his lap was more infuriating than anything else. As if the constant doubts from your male classmates and instructors the last four years wasn’t enough, you always had to deal with their sexual innuendos and advances. Like shit, they should make up their minds. Either you were useless and didn’t belong there, or you belonged in their bedrooms. Fuck them.

“Perverts. All of you.”

You hadn’t realized you said it out loud until he huffed. “Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart. Just trying to get you to shut up about the seat.”

“Don’t call me sweetheart.”

He smirked annoying at you. “Princess. Is that better?”

“Captain,” you snapped at him, close to losing it. He just laughed and started up the ship.

Not being able to trust yourself not to say something that would provoke another fight, you spent the ride back to Starkiller in silence, seething. You tried to calm yourself down, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of feeling how angry you were. So, you watched him flying the ship; how his hands gripped the wheel, how his fingers stretched and slid over the controls. Much to your dismay, you found it calming.

Because you were trying to learn… Definitely not thinking about what else he could do with those fingers.

Fuck. You hadn’t even seen his hands without the gloves on and you were fantasizing about them.

But eventually, the hum of the ship was calming enough to put you to sleep for the rest of the ride there. Luckily, you didn’t dream. You didn’t know the extent of the Knights’ psychic abilities, and you definitely didn’t need Kuruk seeing your dreams too.

A strong hand shaking your shoulder woke you with a start. You nearly jumped out of your seat, expecting the ship to be crashing.

Heart steadying, you realized it was already parked in the hangar at Starkiller. You slept the whole ride back? Based on the indentions from the seat etched on your cheek, the answer was yes.

When you saw who had awoken you, you jumped to your feet, frantically straightening out your uniform. “Commander Ren, sir,” you said, saluting him—were you even supposed to salute him? “I wasn’t asleep, sir, I-”

“I don’t care. I figured you’d rather sleep in your bed than the ship,” he said, voice emotionless through the mask. You wondered if he was as attractive as Kuruk. Fuck, you needed to stop thinking about them like that.

“Thank you, sir,” you said, politely nodding and heading towards the exit. In the doorframe, you turned back to him. “How long since we landed, sir?”

“About two and a half hours.”

You jaw dropped. “Kuruk didn’t think to wake me up?”

He huffed. “Apparently not. I just need you off the ship for the night while the mechanics check the ship.”

Your face was on fire. Of course, Kylo Ren hadn’t woken you to be nice. And Kuruk had purposely not woken you. Asshole.

And speaking of the mechanics checking the ship. “I’m sorry, sir. For the rough flight today.” What the hell, now you were apologizing for something not your fault? Being with these men was really messing with your confidence. Ugh, you were so getting fired. Cosmo and the others would be delighted.

He waved as if it were irrelevant. “We’ve had worse. Just don’t let it happen again.”

You nodded once. As if you would do that again on purpose. “Of course. Goodnight, sir.”

“Captain,” he called before you could turn. You raised your eyebrows. “I’ll see you in two days for our next flight.”

You fought a smile. He wasn’t kicking you out. “Yes, sir.” And with that, you were out the door. You were a whirlwind of emotions. What a weird fucking day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for anyone still reading! I should be updating more frequently now that my finals are over. Did any of you catch the part about Ushar's new boo thang? ;) I'll be posting the first chapter for his fic soon.
> 
> Let me know what you all think and what you'd like to see from the fics!


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